U.S. patent application number 11/043974 was filed with the patent office on 2005-08-04 for chipping apparatus having a knife ring.
Invention is credited to Pallmann, Hartmut.
Application Number | 20050166743 11/043974 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34638819 |
Filed Date | 2005-08-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050166743 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Pallmann, Hartmut |
August 4, 2005 |
Chipping apparatus having a knife ring
Abstract
An apparatus for comminuting materials includes a rotating or
stationary ring of knives that is arranged around a chipping
chamber. The ring of knives is has a plurality of knife carriers,
which are distributed around the knife ring axis in a circular
shape, each knife carrier having a bearing surface. The bearing
surface is a receptacle for a knife package that is comprised of a
knife retaining plate and a slicing knife, and which is held in an
operational position at a predetermined angle and a predetermined
blade projection by fasteners. The knife carrier has a reference
surface, which interacts with the knife package, and based on which
the blade projection is determined. The slicing knife has at least
one recess that originates in a rearward longitudinal edge, whereby
the reference surface is arranged on the projection inside the
recess, the projection extending vertically to the bearing
surface.
Inventors: |
Pallmann, Hartmut;
(Zweibrucken, DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BIRCH STEWART KOLASCH & BIRCH
PO BOX 747
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22040-0747
US
|
Family ID: |
34638819 |
Appl. No.: |
11/043974 |
Filed: |
January 28, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
83/835 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B27L 11/005 20130101;
Y10T 83/9319 20150401 |
Class at
Publication: |
083/835 |
International
Class: |
B26D 007/06; B27B
013/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 30, 2004 |
DE |
10 2004 004 877.0 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for chipping material having a ring of knives being
arranged within a chipping chamber, the apparatus comprising: a
plurality of knife carriers being arranged around a knife ring axis
in a substantially circular fashion, each of the knife carriers
having a bearing surface, on which a knife package comprised of a
knife retaining plate and a slicing knife is held by fasteners in
an operational position at a predetermined angle and having a
predetermined blade projection, wherein the knife carriers each
have a reference surface, which interacts with the knife package, a
blade projection being determined on the basis of the reference
surface, wherein the slicing knife has at least one recess on a
rearward longitudinal edge thereof for positioning the knife
package on the knife carrier, and wherein the reference surface is
formed by a substantially perpendicular projection that extends
from the bearing surface and is arranged within the recess.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reference
surface is a stop that functions between the knife retaining plate
and the knife carrier.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reference
surface is formed by a positive fit between the knife retaining
plate and the knife carrier.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reference
surface is integrated into a connection assembly formed as a slot
and key connection, between the knife retaining plate and the knife
carriers.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the slot is arranged
in the knife retaining plate and the key is arranged in the knife
carrier.
6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the slot is longer
than the key.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reference
surface interacts with an adjustment device, an adjustment area of
which extending substantially parallel to a transverse direction of
extension of the knife retaining plate.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the adjustment
device has an adjustment screw that tightens against the knife
carrier or the knife retaining plate, and is adapted to have small
spacers inserted therebetween.
9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the reference
surface is formed by a part of the adjustment device, which is
arranged on the knife carrier.
10. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the knife carrier
has at least one niche, in which the adjustment device is
arranged.
11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the niche
originates in the rearward longitudinal edge of the knife carrier
and extends into the bearing surface.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a base projects
from the bearing surface, and wherein the reference surface, or the
adjustment device with the reference surface, is arranged in the
area of the base.
13. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the fasteners are
screws, which are threaded through the knife package in the area of
the recesses of the slicing knife.
14. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least in edge
segments of the slicing knife a recess is formed, and wherein on
the knife carrier, the reference surface that corresponds to the
recess is arranged.
15. A ring of knives having a plurality of knife carriers that are
distributed around a knife ring axis in a circular shape, each of
the knife carriers having a bearing surface, on which a knife
package comprised of a knife retaining plate and a slicing knife is
held by fasteners in an operational position at a predetermined
angle and having a predetermined blade projection, wherein the
knife carrier has a reference surface, which interacts with the
knife package and on the basis of which the blade projection is
determined, wherein, for the positioning of the knife package on
the knife carrier, the slicing knife has at least one recess
originating from a rearward longitudinal edge, and wherein the
reference surface is formed by a substantially perpendicular
projection that extends from the bearing surface and is arranged
within the recess.
16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the ring of knives
is adapted to rotate or to be stationary within the chipping
chamber
17. A knife assembly for a chipping apparatus, the knife assembly
comprising: a knife carrier having a bearing surface and a lower
surface, the bearing surface having a projection extending
substantially perpendicular from the bearing surface; a knife
retaining plate having at least one bore provided therein, a
central axis of the bore being on a mounting plane that extends
perpendicular to an upper surface of the knife retaining plate; and
a slicing knife being provided between the knife carrier and the
knife retaining plate, the slicing knife having a blade formed on a
first edge thereof and projecting beyond the lower surface of the
knife carrier, the slicing knife having at least one aperture
extending from a second edge of the slicing knife substantially
towards the first edge, the second edge being opposite to the first
edge, the at least one aperture having a central axis that lies on
the mounting plane, wherein the projection of the knife carrier
extends within the at least one aperture of the slicing knife,
wherein a height of the projection of the knife carrier is
substantially equal to a thickness of the slicing knife, and
wherein a projection of the blade of the slicing knife beyond the
lower surface of the knife carrier is determined on the basis of a
reference surface, the reference surface being formed on a surface
of the projection of the knife carrier.
18. The knife assembly according to claim 17, wherein the
projection of the knife carrier extends through the at least one
aperture of the slicing knife such that an upper surface of the
projection directly contacts a lower surface of the knife retaining
plate.
19. The knife assembly according to claim 17, wherein the slicing
knife is fixedly mounted to the knife retaining plate.
Description
[0001] This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn. 119(a) on German Patent Application No. DE 10 2004
004 877 filed in Germany on Jan. 30, 2004, which is herein
incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to an apparatus for
comminuting materials, the apparatus including a ring of knives
that is arranged around a chipping chamber.
[0004] 2. Description of the Background Art
[0005] Chipping devices of this class are known, for example, as
knife ring chippers with an interior striker wheel system, whereby
chips are comminuted into fine shavings, which serve as a base
material for the production of particle boards. In addition, there
are timber chippers, whereby the stationary material is turned into
large-size chips by a rotating and transversely-operating knife
ring, the chips being further used for manufacturing OSB (Oriented
Strand Board) products.
[0006] In such devices, the actual comminuting is done by slicing
knives that are assembled, together with a knife retaining plate,
outside of the chipping apparatus and within a template to form a
knife package. The knife packages are held by knife carriers, which
are arranged in a circular shape between two carrier rings around
an axis of rotation, thus forming a ring of knives. To make it
easier to attain the required blade projection, the knife carrier
has a stop surface as a reference surface that extends along the
entire length of the knife carrier, the reference surface
interacting with a oppositely located blade located of the
pre-adjusted knife package. This stop surface, which also serves as
a reference surface, is also the zero position for the knife
packages because from it the control value for the position of the
blade of the slicing knife is taken. The main rule for the
installation of knife packages is that all blades of the slicing
knives travel in the same cutting circle.
[0007] However, as a consequence of tolerances generated during
production, the stop surfaces of the knife carriers, and thus the
reference surfaces for the blade cutting circle of the slicing
knives, are not all positioned on one and the same circumferential
line in relation to the axis of the knife ring. This leads to
uneven blade projections of the slicing knives and thus, to chips
of an inferior quality.
[0008] For this reason, it is already known from DE 26 28 764 to
adjust the reference surface with the aid of an adjustment device
to compensate for tolerances generated during production. In DE 26
28 764, the reference surface is formed by an adjustment and set
screw, which can be screwed into the knife carrier, or unscrewed
therefrom, coplanar to the knife package. The adjustment and set
screw thereby serves as a stop for a continuous counter-pressure,
and is tightly screwed to the knife package.
[0009] A disadvantage of the conventional constructions is that a
maximal usable width of the slicing knife is fixed by the distance
between the blade of a slicing knife and the reference surface, to
which the slicing knife abuts with its rearward longitudinal edge.
In view of longer operating times of the wear-prone slicing knives,
the use of the widest possible slicing knives would be
desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide slicing knives with a usable width that is larger than has
been previously possible.
[0011] The invention is based on the idea to design the reference
surface on the knife carrier, which interacts with the knife
package, in a basically punctiform shape. In conjunction with
slicing knives, which each have in the area of the reference
surfaces a recess extending from the rearward edge, a constructive
development of a knife carrier is thus achieved, whereby the
reference surfaces are within the recesses. Thus, making it
possible for the rearward edge of the slicing knives to extend
beyond the reference surface. The reference surface can thereby be
formed by a fixed stop, but also by an adjustable element that is
adjustable coplanar to the knife package.
[0012] Thanks to the invention, the operator of chipping devices of
this invention will have the advantage to be able to use wider
slicing knives than before. Due to their greater usable width,
these slicing knives have a longer life span, which makes the
chipping devices of this invention more economical all around.
[0013] Furthermore, the structure of a knife carrier according to
this invention makes a shifting of the reference surface towards
the middle of the knife carrier possible. This results in a more
compact construction of the individual knife carriers, which opens
up the possibility to accommodate more knife carriers on a
circumferential line than before. A modified knife ring such as
this is capable of a much higher chipping output.
[0014] In a simple embodiment of the invention, the reference
surface is formed from one stop on the knife carrier for the knife
package. The special merit of an embodiment such as this is its
simplicity of construction, but it is only effective in the
direction of the stop, that is, a knife package has to be held
against the stop until it is screwed onto the knife carrier.
[0015] In a further embodiment of the invention, an interlock is
created between the knife carrier and the knife package, for
example, through the formation of a plug connector. This has the
advantage that the knife package is already fixed in a control
position when the knife package is placed on the bearing surface of
the knife carrier, and only needs to be screwed on. Although it is
more complex to manufacture an embodiment such as this, it
contributes to greater safety in regards to maintaining the
necessary blade projection.
[0016] A preferred plug connector of the invention is the slot and
key principle. It is even more beneficial when the slot is arranged
in the knife retaining plate and the fitting key in the knife
carrier. This allows a compact design of the knife carrier with
simple construction. A slot that is longer in relation to the
fitting key makes it easier to thread the fitting key into the slot
and allows minor position corrections in the direction of the slot
after assembly.
[0017] Although the invention also includes chipping devices with
fixed reference surfaces, embodiments that allow a setting of the
reference surface and thus an adjustment of the zero position of
the knife packages are preferred. In an example embodiment, the
reference surface is part of the adjustment device, which
preferably is arranged on the knife ring. This allows the knife
package, which has to be removed every time the knives are being
exchanged, to be reduced to only those parts that are absolutely
necessary. The parts needed for an adjustment are thus protected in
the knife carrier and are not inadvertently misadjusted.
[0018] A simple, but very effective and reliable type of an
adjustment device includes an adjustment screw, which can be
screwed to the knife carrier, with the insertion of small spacers
in between. It is thereby possible that the head of the adjustment
screw also functions as the reference surface for the knife
package. As an alternative thereto, it is possible to attach a
centering peg with the adjustment screw to the knife carrier, which
interacts with the knife retaining plate, by the interposition of
small spacers.
[0019] Particularly when knife carriers with an adjustment device
are used, the arrangement of recesses on the knife carrier is an
advantage. By arranging the adjustment device in the recess, the
adjustment device disappears into the cross section of the knife
carrier. This makes it possible to keep the chip removal channel
free of contractions of the cross section, which is always a source
of danger in regards to clogging. Thus, the chipping devices of
this invention also have the benefit of increased reliability and
operational safety.
[0020] In a further embodiment of the invention, the bearing
surface of the knife carrier has a base, on which the knife
retaining ring rests during operation. Arranging the reference
surface or the adjustment device in the area of the base has the
advantage that from a statical point of view, the base itself has
the effect of a stabilizing element for the reference surface.
[0021] Additionally, the invention includes a ring of knives, which
is also marketed as an independent part of a device of this
invention. To such a knife ring, the previously made statements
also apply.
[0022] Further scope of applicability of the present invention will
become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter.
However, it should be understood that the detailed description and
specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the
invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various
changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the
invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from
this detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The present invention will become more fully understood from
the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying
drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus, are
not limitive of the present invention, and wherein:
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a vertical longitudinal section through a
timber chipper with a rotating knife ring;
[0025] FIG. 2 shows a partial cross section along the line II-II
through the knife ring illustrated in FIG. 1;
[0026] FIG. 3 shows a top view of a slicing knife of this
invention;
[0027] FIG. 4 shows a top view of a knife retaining plate of this
invention;
[0028] FIG. 5 shows a front view of a knife carrier of this
invention;
[0029] FIG. 6 shows cross sections along the lines VIa-VIa and
VIb-VIb through the knife carriers illustrated in FIG. 2;
[0030] FIG. 7 shows a partial view along the line VII-VII through
the knife carrier illustrated in FIG. 6;
[0031] FIG. 8 shows a partial cross section along the line
VIII-VIII through the knife carrier that is illustrated in FIG. 6;
and
[0032] FIG. 9 shows a cross section of an alternate embodiment of a
knife carrier of this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0033] FIG. 1 illustrates a knife ring chipper according to a
preferred embodiment of the present invention for chipping timber.
To clarify the invention, a chipper for making wood chips with a
knife ring and an interior striker wheel, whereby the knife ring
can be stationary as well as rotating, can be utilized to
illustrate this invention. FIG. 1 shows a stationary substructure 1
having rails 2 arranged along its upper side in plan view. The
rails 2 serve as a track for the base frame 3 of the engine, which
is cross-slidingly arranged on wheels 4 in the direction of the
arrow 5. A cylinder piston unit 6 is fixedly connected to the
substructure 1, its moving piston 7 activating the base-frame 3 of
the engine, thus causing a lateral movement of the base frame 3 of
the engine. Furthermore, the base frame 3 has a platform 8, which
carries an electric motor 9. Additionally, a hood-shaped housing 10
is attached to the base frame 3, which serves as a receptacle for a
knife ring 11 than can be rotated freely around a horizontal axis.
Whereas the rear wall of the housing 10 is closed and serves as a
storage for a drive shaft of the ring of knives 11, the front of
the housing 10 has a circular opening, through which the chipping
chamber 12 can be freely accessed. Towards the top, the chipping
chamber 12 is bound by a circular arc segment 13, a bent side of
which extends in close proximity to the ring of knives 11. In the
lower region, a bracing floor construction 14 forms the boundary of
the chipping chamber 12 and, like the circular arc segment 13, is
fixedly connected with the housing 10. The left boundary area of
the chipping chamber 12, from an illustration view point, is formed
by a counter-stop 15, which extends axially into the chipping
chamber 12, is convex in cross section, and is fixedly arranged
opposite the substructure 1 of the apparatus and thus does not
follow the lateral movements of the base frame 3 of the engine. The
opposite side of the chipping chamber 12 is formed by a segment of
the inner side of the knife ring 11 and forms a comminution
path.
[0034] The material to be processed, that is, logs 16, as well as
the counter-stop 15 extend with an unencumbered part of their
length axially into the chipping chamber 12. The part of the logs
16 that is located outside the chipping chamber 12 is in a feeder
device (not shown), at which end it is firmly clamped together for
the comminution process. Additionally, there are hold-down clamps
(not shown) in the chipping chamber 12, which hold the logs 16 in
place during the comminution process. The comminution of the logs
16 is done by lateral movement of the base frame 3 of the engine in
the direction of arrow 5 while the knife ring 11 is rotating,
whereby the logs 16, due to the stationary counter-stop 15, are
pressed against the comminution path, where they are engaged by the
chipping tools.
[0035] The detailed construction of the knife ring 11 is
illustrated in FIG. 2. Basically, the ring of knives 11 includes
two concentric ring wheels 17 and 18 that are arranged with an
axial space in between, and which are connected to knife carriers
19, the knife carriers being distributed axis-parallel and annular
around the axis of rotation in a circular shape. Whereby, the upper
front sides of the knife carriers 19 and the inner sides of the
ring wheels 17 and 18 are screwed together. Each knife carrier 19
can function as a receptacle for the chipping tools in their
required operational position, which is accomplished by mounting
them in mounting planes A. In the illustrated example, the chipping
tools include knife packages 20, each knife package 20 including a
knife retaining plate 21 and a slicing knife 22. The individual
elements of such a unit, that is, the slicing knife 22, the knife
retaining plate 21 and the knife carrier 19, are illustrated in
FIGS. 3 to 5. Their respective arrangement during operation is
clearly illustrated in FIG. 6.
[0036] The slicing knife 22 illustrated in FIG. 3 extends in a
distinct longitudinal direction, whereby the front longitudinal
edge, in FIG. 3 the lower longitudinal edge, forms a blade 23. The
edge segments of the rearward longitudinal edge 24 of the slicing
knife 22 are provided with a slit-shaped recess 25 with a rounded
bottom and an extension that is transverse to the longitudinal
extension direction. Additionally, there are two threaded bores 26
between the front upper side and the recess 25.
[0037] A knife retaining plate 21 that is suitable for forming a
knife package 20 is illustrated in FIG. 4. Basically, the layout of
the knife retaining plate 21 is, in principal, the same as the
slicing knife 22, having a rearward longitudinal edge 27 and a
front longitudinal edge 28. In the illustration a lower portion of
the front longitudinal edge 28 tapers to a pointed longitudinal
edge. Each of the two mounting planes A is provided with a tapered
bore 29, which extends through the thickness of the knife retaining
plate 21. The tapered bore 29 has a larger diameter on a top side
30 and a smaller diameter on a bottom side 31 of the knife
retaining plate 21.
[0038] Between the tapered bores 29 and the rearward longitudinal
edge 27, there are grooves 32 that are arranged on the bottom side
31 in the area of the mounting planes A, the grooves extending
parallel to the longitudinal extension direction and their depths
equaling about one half of the thickness of the knife retaining
plate 21.
[0039] In addition, a longitudinal hole 33 is arranged between the
tapered bores 29 and the upper front sides of the knife retaining
plate 21, which is tapered in a way similar to the tapered bores
29. The longitudinal holes 33 extend transversely to the
longitudinal extension direction.
[0040] The slicing knife 22 illustrated in FIG. 3 and the knife
retaining plate 21 illustrated in FIG. 4 are combined outside the
ring of knives 11 in a specially provided template to form a knife
package 20. The template provides for a predetermined width of the
knife package 20, which, starting from a defined zero position on
the knife carrier 19, results in a desired blade projection into
the comminution chamber 12. Depending on the condition of attrition
of the slicing knife 22, the slicing knife 22 and the knife
retaining plate 21 are thereby placed on top of each other,
transversely to the longitudinal extension direction of the knife
retaining plate 21 and with the required overlap, and are connected
with screws (not shown). The threaded part of the screws thereby
extends through the longitudinal holes 33 into the threaded bores
26 of the slicing knife 22. The final location of the screw heads
is in the longitudinal holes 33 so that they do not protrude beyond
the top side 30 of the knife retaining plate 21. The illustrated
extension of the longitudinal hole 33 being transverse to the
longitudinal axis of the knife retaining plate 21 allows
readjusting, and thus an adjustment of the knife package 20 to the
current condition of wear and tear of the respective slicing knife
22.
[0041] The knife packages 20 thus adjusted to a predetermined width
are subsequently fastened to a knife carrier 19, as illustrated in
FIG. 5, for example. As can be particularly seen in FIGS. 5 and 6,
the knife carrier 19 is rod-shaped and has a triangular cross
section. On the side facing the chipping chamber, a wear shoe 34 is
arranged.
[0042] The side of the knife carrier 19, which in a direction of
rotation 47 is the front side, forms a bearing surface 35 for the
knife package 20. The side, which in a direction of rotation 5 is
the rearward side 36 of the knife carrier 19, forms, in conjunction
with the knife package 20 of a subsequent knife carrier 19, a chip
removal channel 37, through which the chipped material is radially
removed to the outside by centrifugal force.
[0043] A more detailed illustration of the bearing surface 35 is
shown in FIG. 5, where it can be seen that the bearing surface 35
extends basically in a plane direction to accommodate the back of
the slicing knife 22. Perpendicular to the bearing surface 35,
there is a threaded bore 38 in each of the mounting planes A, with
which fastening screws 39 (FIGS. 6 and 7) engage. Between the
threaded bore 38 and the rearward longitudinal edge of the knife
carrier 19, there is a base 40, each having a width that fits into
the recess 25 of the slicing knife 22. The height of the base 40
substantially equals the thickness of the slicing knife 22, whereby
the surface of the base 40 forms a support for the bottom side 31
of the knife retaining plate 21 when the screws 39 are tightened.
This is particularly illustrated in FIG. 6.
[0044] The rearward longitudinal edge of the knife carrier 19 is
provided in both mounting planes A with a niche 41, which is
rectangular in cross section, the bottom 44 of the niche and the
base 40 forming a flush connection. The niche 41 serves as a
receptacle for an adjustment device 42. For this purpose, a
threaded bore is provided in the bottom 44 of the niche 41, with
which an adjustment screw 43 engages. The head of the adjustment
screw 43 tightens a cuboid centering peg 45 against the bottom 44
of the niche 41, with the insertion of one or several small spacers
46 in between. With a narrow side, the centering peg 45 extends
beyond the surface of the base 40 and due to appropriately
calculated measurements, engages free of play and transversely to
the longitudinal extension direction of the knife carrier 19 with
the groove 32 on the bottom side 31 of the knife retaining plate
21.
[0045] In this way, the centering peg 45 forms a reference surface,
which fixes the relative position of the knife package 20 against
the knife carrier 19, and thus the blade projection.
[0046] Since tolerances generated during production can result in
minor deviations of the reference position of the knife carriers 19
in the ring of knives 11, an insertion of a corresponding number of
small spacers 46 between the centering peg 45 and the bottom 44 of
the niche 41 makes it possible to compensate for these production
tolerances.
[0047] As can be clearly seen in FIG. 7, and particularly in FIG.
8, the application of slicing knives 22 with a greater width is
possible due to the invention-characteristic arrangement of the
reference surface in the form of the centering peg 45 inside the
projection of the recess 25 of the slicing knife 22, the projection
extending vertically to the bearing surface 35. Thereto, the rear
longitudinal edge 24 can coincide with or project above the
corresponding longitudinal edge of the knife carrier 19.
[0048] Due to the provision of niches 41 for the adjustment device
42, it is possible to keep the chip removal channel free of
components that may obstruct the chip removal, even if the
structure of the cross section of the knife carrier 19 is
compact.
[0049] The illustration in FIG. 9 is to demonstrate that the
invention is not limited to the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1
to 8, in which the reference surface can be adjusted by using an
adjustment device 42 that is located on the knife carrier 19.
Rather, a plurality of embodiments and combinations are possible
within the scope of the invention, whereby the adjustment device or
the centering plug alone is mounted to the knife retaining plate,
for example.
[0050] The knife carrier illustrated in FIG. 9 has a mostly plane
bearing surface 51, which only in the mounting planes A is
interrupted by a respective base 52. The base 52 is two-tiered,
with a first deeper surface and a second higher surface that
connects to the rearward longitudinal edge of the knife carrier 50
and is located opposite the support surface 51,
[0051] The support surface 51 serves as a receptacle for the knife
package 54, which is formed by a slicing knife 55, which is
basically the same as the one described in FIG. 3, and a knife
retaining plate 56, which is a modification of the one described in
FIG. 4.
[0052] In comparison to the example embodiments described in FIGS.
1 to 8, the knife retaining plate 56 has an adjustment device 57,
which is arranged at the rearward longitudinal edge of the knife
retaining plate 56 in the area of the corresponding recesses of the
slicing knife 55. The adjustment device 57 in turn includes a
adjustment screw 58, which engages with a threaded bore in the
rearward longitudinal edge of the knife retaining plate 56. In its
turn, the head of the adjustment screw 58 tightens a stop element
59 against the rearward longitudinal edge of the knife retaining
plate 56, with the insertion of one or several small spacers 60 in
between.
[0053] In fastening the knife package 54 onto the knife carrier 50,
the tiers between the first, deeper surface of the base 52 and the
second, higher surface serve as a reference, that is, a stop
surface for the stop element 59 of the knife package 54. By
inserting the appropriate quantity of small spacers 60, the
required blade projection can be set.
[0054] Since the extension of the base 52 in the longitudinal
direction of the knife carrier 50 does not exceed the recess in the
slicing knife 55, the slicing knives 55 can also have a greater
width than conventional knives according to this embodiment of the
invention. This allows the rearward longitudinal edge of the
slicing knife 55 to extend to the rearward longitudinal edge of the
knife carrier 50.
[0055] The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that
the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be
regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,
and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in
the art are to be included within the scope of the following
claims.
* * * * *